The Gods
Legend says that long ago there were hundreds of gods and that their conflicts lead to their demise. Today there are the nine Gods worthy of the worship of Orzians. Ginnung In the beginning there was nothing. An empty void in an abyss of darkness. Come forth from his mother Chaos sprang forth the fruit of her womb. Ginnung was born from his parents, Chaos and Disorder. What was once shapeless and without form was now something. All the matter that exists and all the light that you see is because of Ginnung. Worship There are no temples to Ginnung nor are there any clergy. It is said to follow his children is to follow him. He is an unchanging God that shows no favor to any of his creation. Despite all of this, he is the patron deity of crafters and creators. Those that tinker and work with their hands to make and mold, pray to Ginnung for blessing their creations Offerings Mead, ale,intricately crafted items such as clockwork, jewelery, weapons/armor (fine quality) Solara Solara is the eldest daughter of Ginnung. She is the literal light of the world of Orzia, a great star that brings light and life to the world. She is known as "The Lady" and is worshipped throughout the land. She is primarily worshiped by the "good" races. Those that make their living in death, shun the Lady. Commandments of the LightBringer * Be ever vigilant for evil. People are quick to forget the lessons of the past. * Help relieve the suffering of the innocent wherever it exists. * Deliver the light of the Life Mother where darkness dwells, with kindness, compassion, and mercy Worship Churches adorned with symbols of a 7 pointed star. On Albans 14, it is a celebration of Midsommar's Day. A festival dedicated to life and prosperity. Great sacrifices are made to the church in hopes for Solara's favor to ensure a great harvest. Children born during the 9 day celebration are said to be blessed by the Godess and will always have golden blonde hair. Offerings gold, gems, harvested crops (wheat, corn, Rice) Zeris & Dysnomia Not to be mistaken for the twin moons of the same names, the God and Goddess of the physical and magical are two of the most popular Gods in regards to the availability of literature on them. Depicted as dancers taking part in an endless celestial ballet, the two gods are considered the immediate cause of all physics and metaphysics (magics). They are respfor the rain, the quaking earth and the howling winds. Together, they are considered the most physically formidable gods in the pantheon, but apart, they are said to be no more powerful than a calm breeze or a fizzles spark. Worship The churches dedicated to the Dancing Gods are often places of peculiar worship. Some dedicate to specific elements, such as fire, ice, or water. Others combine elements or choose just one, but all of the churches to Zeris and Dysnomia hold regular dances Offerings Feats of strength and arcane accumen, Learning, sharpened tools and weapons Dionychus God of the Celebration, Lord of Laughter, Cupbearer, Father of Festival. The God of Bounty has many names, but no one name really puts into perspective what he affects. “Bounty” is a loose term, as he represents not just bounties in wealth, harvest, or food, but also in family, property, and happiness; anything that represents excess, even drunkenness, is credited to Dionychus. Depicted as a fat friar and often holding wine or grapes in each hand. Arguably the most popular God in the Pantheon, his followers are often agrarian in nature, but many Nobles from around Orzia venerate him and he is often depicted in great halls or banquet rooms. Every Autumn, when the Ashe trees of the Emperors garden bloom, the day of Leafall occurs and a great feast is had in every city, town, and village across the realm, and much of Orzia, as word spreads of the harvest. People exchange gifts representing the bounty that person has experienced since the last Leafall. Worship Dionychan priests don't have formal titles, and many are affectionately called Nurturer. Most Dionychan “churches” are more like farming communes, and they come in all types, but all of them have Dionychan Silos, which are often painted green and are prayed over during times of harvest, festival, and right before winter. It is common in the more barbaric lands that on Leafall day, a virgin is sacrificed to the Dionychus. Not her life, but her maidenhood. Every member of the town draws a lot cast from a satchel. Even women may do so, but they must be married and or no longer maidens. Nine lucky townsfolk make love to the virgin while the citizens watch and cheer and at the end, a bonfire and feast is held in which the woman is the guest of honor. Gifts are brought to her. It is considered lucky if you are selected in your first year. Boys may enter at 15 and a maiden is allowed entered on or after her 18th birthday. She may choose a husband or wife from the 9 and in doing so, is provided with a new house and livestock as a gift from the village. Note this is a fringe element and only performed on the outskirts of civilization. In larger more civilized areas, a lamb or calf is slaughtered in sacrifice to the god instead. Offerings Tyras Tyras is the god of Justice. Plain and simple. What once was a lesser deity, Tyras was raised to prime status after the war of the Sands. The story goes that The unspeakable god Kronos was having his essence siphoned by the Charlatan Lich [[Szass Al'Tam] through a deceptive means involving a courtship of the weaver Dysnomia. Tyras was summoned through a ritual of the 9 to help sever the ties of the lovers. Tyras ascended through the cosmos as a shooting star. He Alerted Zeris to his sisters Naivety. This angered Zeris and caused a double lunar Eclipse. Tyras used his great axe to sever the siphon of Szass Al'Tam to Kronos. It is said that deals struck on Tyrasdae can never be broken unless by magical means and if done so, the perpetrator will be cursed for all eternity. Commandments of the The Lawbringer * Stand as a paragon of honor and justice. * Smite evil wherever it is found, yet show compassion to those who have strayed from righteousness. * Defend the weak, bring freedom to those without, and protect the ideals of just order. Worship Offerings Fortuna "are you feeling lucky?" Fortuna is the Goddess of fortune and luck. Ever the present prayer on the lips of gamblers, soldiers, and anyone running for office. There is always a chance when Lady Luck grants you favor. Worship Those who worship Fortuna are thieves and the random warrior that fails to train and gain favor of Tyras or Zeris. There are no churches dedicated to Lady Luck however, every town has a shrine that is typically within the Inn. A golden statue with a plate for coins. Spare some luck take some luck. Offerings Coin any and all denominations Lokus What is luck without a little chaos? Lokus is a trickster god. Many claim him and his followers to be evil but some would say that they are just misunderstood. Always agents of chaos, worship of Lokus typically entails change at its core. Worship there are a few anarchist groups that exist throughout the realm. Their churches are houses of philosophy and thought experiments in which the patrons imagine Offerings burnt offerings, broken contracts,Helping children, building after disaster Morthellir Sometimes given the rather simplified name of “Death”, is the god of death, mortality, decay, and ending. He does not tend to have patrons/followers (though some are convinced he helps with necromancy), but most believe in his existence. Often depicted as a schedule-keeper more than a dealer of death. Is said to live between the Dimension of the Gods, and the Corporeal Plane, taking the dead to their respective afterlives. He is not known to be late. Ever. Worship worship is not done in the open. the only day where it is acceptable to show worship is on Blót of the Seidae. Otherwise, silent prayers may be said on the days of burial of a loved one. Offerings moss, clear spirits, burnt tobacco and sage The Lesser Deities The Lesser Deities can be found here and don't deserve to share the same page as the 9